


Welcoming

by Laylah



Category: Emberverse - S. M. Stirling
Genre: Community: fic_promptly, Deaf Character, Friendship, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-17
Updated: 2010-10-17
Packaged: 2017-10-12 18:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/127570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On her first morning in Dun Juniper, Astrid comes down to breakfast with the rest of the Bearkiller delegation, but to be honest Eilir isn't paying nearly as much attention to the others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcoming

On her first morning in Dun Juniper, Astrid comes down to breakfast with the rest of the Bearkiller delegation, but to be honest Eilir isn't paying nearly as much attention to the others. She waits until Astrid's looking her way and then she smiles, waving to catch Astrid's attention. And being noticed -- being welcomed -- makes Astrid's pale eyes light up, makes her smile back. She heads into the line with the other Bearkillers to get herself some food, but she comes straight over to Eilir's end of the long table once her plate is full.

"Good morning," she says, enunciating clearly enough that it's no trouble to read her lips.

 _Good morning_ , Eilir signs back. She does her best to return the courtesy, signing just a little bit slower than usual, since Astrid said she's only been studying for a few months. _How did you sleep?_

 _OK_ , Astrid signs. _You're all so welcoming._

Eilir grins. She takes a bite of her apple, watching Astrid split open a still-warm roll -- made with the stone-ground wheat the Mackenzies just harvested -- and spread it with fresh-churned butter. When Astrid looks up again, Eilir goes on, _It's the threefold rule, you know? Doing good for others brings good fortune back to you._ Which is true, but it doesn't sound quite right, so she adds, _Also, I'm just glad you're here. You're cool._

Astrid beams, like people don't tell her that often enough. She stuffs a good quarter of the roll in her mouth, and then makes a really wonderful face at the taste of it. _Delicious_ , she declares. _And you have so much fruit! We never got much on the road._

 _We got lucky_ , Eilir answers. _The cherries, peaches, and apples all had good harvests this year._ Astrid makes a little uncertain face at the names of the fruits, and Eilir repeats them, pointing to each one on Astrid's plate or her own. Astrid copies the signs carefully, and Eilir nods.

The cherries and the peaches also get delighted expressions out of Astrid when she tries them. The thick slices of ham don't make her quite so excited, but she still puts them away with enthusiasm. Eilir understands -- it wasn't long ago that Clan Mackenzie was going pretty hungry all the time, too. The Lord and Lady's bounty has been such a blessing this season.

When she's cleaned her plate, Astrid smiles at Eilir, and signs, _It feels so magical here. It feels like we've come to --_ she frowns. "Lothlorien," she says, spelling it out in sign slowly.

 _Maybe it is, a little_ , Eilir agrees. She thinks they're all a good deal too messy to be elves, personally, but it's pretty clear that Astrid means it as a high compliment. She smiles. _After we get our plates washed up, do you want to go for a ride? I can show you more of the clan's holdings._

 _I'd love that_ , Astrid answers, and the smiles on their faces right then are a perfect match.


End file.
